MLB Player News
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George Lombard SS | NYY
Yankees' George Lombard: Not overmatched at Double-A
Lombard is slashing .215/.336/.362 with eight home runs, 22 steals, a 13.5 percent walk rate and a 26 percent strikeout rate in 102 games for Double-A Somerset.
The third-youngest qualified hitter at Double-A (behind Sebastian Walcott and Nelson Rada), Lombard makes for a tough evaluation, as his youth can generally be used to explain away his shortcomings. He is a career .236 hitter with a career .359 OBP, and he's managed 14 home runs in 250 career games while always being one of the youngest players in his league. Getting the ball in the air isn't a problem for Lombard, and his 39 percent groundball rate and 44.9 percent pull rate are encouraging marks. The passage of time could lead to Lombard naturally accessing significantly more power in a year or two as his body matures, and he's a no-doubt shortstop with above-average speed and on-base ability. The righty-hitting Lombard could get another aggressive assignment to Triple-A next year before turning 21 in June.
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Dax Kilby SS | NYY
Yankees' Dax Kilby: Turns heads in pro debut
Kilby hit .353/.457/.441 with zero home runs, 16 steals, a 16 percent walk rate and a 13.6 percent strikeout rate in 18 games for Single-A Tampa.
The Yankees gave Kilby an over-slot $2.8 million bonus after selecting him with the No. 39 overall pick this year out of a high school in Georgia. The lefty-hitting shortstop has quickly upped his dynasty league value, as his exit velocity data portends at least above-average power down the road. He has a 108.9 mph batted ball and a 105.6 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, which are both excellent marks for an 18-year-old making his pro debut. Eighty of his 81 plate appearances came against pitchers who were older than him, and the average player in the Florida State League is 2.9 years older than Kilby. He has a very high fantasy ceiling, and the hype should only build during the offseason.
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Carlos Correa SS | HOU
Astros' Carlos Correa: Pops 12th homer
Correa went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk Tuesday against the Blue Jays.
Correa popped his home run in the first inning, bringing his total on the season to 12. He's hit well recently, recording at least one hit in seven of his last eight starts while hitting .278 with two homers, five RBI and five runs scored. Correa continues to hit in a premium spot in the Houston lineup, and he hit third Tuesday night while flipping spots with Jose Altuve.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Collects late hit
Witt went 1-for-4 in his return to the lineup Tuesday against the Guardians.
The Royals managed just five hits in the game as they were blanked by the Guardians. Witt's base knock came in the ninth to put runners on the corners, but his team was unable to capitalize. Now that he's feeling better, Witt should be back to being a lineup fixture, especially with the Royals still clawing at a wild-card spot.
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Jacob Wilson SS | ATH
Athletics' Jacob Wilson: Three more hits in loss
Wilson went 3-for-4 with a double in Tuesday's 6-0 loss to the Red Sox.
Wilson has logged four games of three hits over his last nine contests. He was responsible for the Athletics' lone extra-base hit Tuesday, which was his first since a Sept. 1 double versus the Cardinals. The shortstop has a .319/.360/.451 slash line with 12 home runs, 56 RBI, 55 runs scored, five stolen bases and 21 doubles over 110 contests. While he doesn't walk a lot with a 5.2 percent walk rate, his 7.6 percent strikeout rate has enabled him to remain effective throughout the season through pure contact skills.
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Bobby Witt SS | KC
Royals' Bobby Witt: Returns to lineup Tuesday
Witt (back) will start at shortstop and bat second in Tuesday's game versus the Guardians.
Witt missed the previous three contests with back spasms, but he's feeling well enough to return to action for the second game of a four-game set in Cleveland. The Royals went 1-2 in the three games Witt missed.
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Carson Williams SS | TB
Rays' Carson Williams: Out again versus righty
Williams is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the White Sox.
Williams started the Rays' last game Sunday versus a lefty and hit a homer, but this marks the second straight time he's been out of the lineup against a right-hander. It's unlikely Williams will fall into the short side of a platoon, but it will be the left-handed-hitting Tristan Gray handling shortstop again Tuesday.
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Gabriel Arias SS | CLE
Guardians' Gabriel Arias: Held out Tuesday
Arias (wrist) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Royals.
Arias had to depart Monday's contest with right wrist inflammation. While he managed to avoid a serious injury, he will be forced to miss at least one start. Brayan Rocchio will slide over to shortstop and Daniel Schneemann will handle second base for the Guardians on Tuesday.
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Bo Bichette 3B | NYM
Blue Jays' Bo Bichette: Lands on IL with sprained knee
The Blue Jays placed Bichette on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a left knee sprain.
Bichette appeared to tweak something on a slide into home plate during Saturday's game against the Yankees. He finished that contest but was then out of the lineup Sunday, and subsequent testing has revealed a sprain. The severity of the sprain isn't known at this time, so it's uncertain whether Bichette has a chance to return when eligible Sept. 17. Ernie Clement is starting at shortstop Tuesday versus the Astros, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa should also be in the mix for starts at the position while Bichette is shelved.
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Kahlil Watson SS | CLE
Guardians' Kahlil Watson: Reaches Triple-A
Watson is slashing .248/.352/.467 with five home runs, eight steals, a 12 percent walk rate and a 25.6 percent strikeout rate in 32 games for Triple-A Columbus.
The former shortstop has seen at least six starts in all three outfield spots since getting promoted from Double-A Akron to Triple-A on July 22, with center field and left field being his top two positions. The lefty-hitting Watson has a fair amount of swing-and-miss in his game, as evidenced by his 17.4 percent swinging strike rate and 64.3 percent contact rate at Triple-A. He has a chance to be a power/speed fantasy outfielder who has a shorter prime and sits against most lefties. Cleveland will need to add Watson, who turns 23 in April, to the 40-man roster this offseason if it wishes to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.